(NBC News) A 14-year-old boy holding an airsoft gun was fatally shot by a Tempe, Arizona, police officer on Tuesday.
Officers responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle discovered a person “who was in the process of burglarizing the vehicle” just after 2:30 p.m. MST (4:30 p.m. ET) Tuesday, according to a statement from the Tempe Police Department.
As officers approached, the suspect ran away holding what they thought was a handgun, the statement said. An officer raced after the suspect giving “verbal commands,” and during the chase “perceived a threat” and fired his weapon, hitting the teen. They did not specify how many shots were fired.
